Character display device



May 24, 1966 N. BERMAN CHARACTER DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1963 INVENTOR. NELso/v BER/WAN BY HTTOPA/EYS May 24, 1966 N. BERMAN CHARACTER DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1963 INVENTOR.

X2 Z4, NELSON BE/QMQN Li BY M E E E QTT'OPNEYS United States Patent 3,253,274 CHARACTER DISPLAY DEVICE Nelson Berman, New Hyde Park, N.Y. (235 Beach 19th St, Far Rockaway, N.Y.) Filed Dec. 30, I963, Ser. No. 334,426 7 Claims. (Cl. 340-378) My invention relates to a character display device and more particularly to an improved character display device which is simple, rugged and inexpensive to construct.

There are known in the prior art devices for selectively displaying a plurality of respective characters such as Arabic numerals and the like. These devices generally are relatively complicated in their construction and operation and often incorporate complicated switching mechanisms and need special power supplies. Moreover, many of these devices do not permit the displayed character to be seen from relatively small angles of view. Others use optical systems which cannot :be made small. In others, the display device does not have the brightness needed tor easy reading.

I have invented a character display device which overcomes the defects of display devices of the prior art. My display device provides a bright indication which is readily visible from small angles off the plane of the image. My device is simple and rugged in construction. It is relatively inexpensive as compared with display devices of the prior art. It does not require high voltage power supplies. It can be made relatively small.

One object of my invention is to provide a character display device for selectively displaying a plurality of characters.

Another object of my invention is to provide a character display device which is readable from relatively small angles to the plane of the image.

A further object of my invention is to provide a character display device which is simple in construction and operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a character display device which displays all characters in a single plane.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a character display device which can be made relatively small.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a character display device which is inexpensive to construct.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description. 4

In general my invention contemplates the provision of an assembly of light conducting members, such as plates formed of an acrylic resin such as methyl methacrylate so shaped as to provide an array of .illuminable elements. I provide means for selectively feeding light into'the plates which by total internal reflection transmit the light to the elements needed to represent the desired character.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved character display device.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the form of my device shown in FIGURE 1 taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of my improved character display device taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a partially exploded view showing the light piping members of my character display device before final bending of the outboard pairs of members for assembly.

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' FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the assembly of light piping members of my character display device.

FIGURE 6 is a partially exploded view illustrating the relationship between the assembly of light piping members and the aperture plate of my character display device.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the relationship of one of the light sources and the assembly of light piping members of my improved character display device.

FIGURE 8 is an elevation of the light baffle of my character display device.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 3 of the drawings, my character display device indicated generally by the reference character 10 comprises a housing having sides 12 and 14, a base '16 and a top 13. I provide the front with a window 22 through which the display can be viewed.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 to 6, my display device comprises a plurality of light piping members 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36. I cut and shape each of the members, such as the member 24, from an acrylic resin, such as methyl methacrylate, for example, to form an edge 38 providing one of the illuminable elements of my character display device. For purposes of clarity, I have designated the edges 38, respectively, as a, b, c, d, e, f and g. The elements a to g are so arranged with relation to each other as to form the Arabic numeral 8 when viewed from the front of the device. It will be seen that each of the plates, such as plate 24, is out to provide at least one inclined edge 40. I so cut the plates that edges, such as the edge 40, totally reflect light which passes into the plate from the rear edge thereof. The maximum angle of incidence required for an edge 40 to provide total internal reflect-ion may readily be calculated from Snells law to be 47.8. With this in mind, all the edges 40 were designed with angles of less than to the path of light travel. Thus, each of the members, such as member 24, forms a light pipe for transmitting light from the rear edge towards the edge 38 providing one of the elements a to g.

I fit the forward edges 38 of the various light conducting plates into openings 42 in a spider plate 34 in the front of the housing just behind a translucent plate 46 covering window 22. The light conducting plates are so shaped that their rearward portions are nested together in closely adjacent relationship. As shown in FIGURE 7, I may dispose aluminum foil 43 or the like between pairs of adjacent plates to prevent the dififusion of stray light therebetween. It may be desirable to fold the foil over the plate edges to prevent any light from escaping.

An apertured plate 54) is provided with side flanges 52 and 54 so that the plate 50 can be placed over nested rear portions of the light con-ducting plates. Plate St) is provided with ten groups of apertures 56 disposed at spaced locations along the height of the plate. Within the housing, I mount an assembly of a pair of spacers 58 and 59 at the sides of the plate 50, a light baffle 66, a bulb mounting block 62 and a terminal block 64. Baflie 60 is provided with ten passages 66 which lead from respective openings 68 in the back of the baffle to openings 70 in theiront of the b affle. The vertically aligned groups of openings 68 are displaced laterally from the vertical center line of the baflie while the openings 70 are disposed along the vertical center line. Thus, the openings 70 are aligned with the respective groups of openings 56 in the plate 50. The block 62 has a plurality of bores 72 therein for the reception of bulbs 74. Block 64 carries a plurality of connectors 76 which supply power to the bulbs 74.

From the structure just described, it will be apparent that when any one of the bulbs 74 is lit, the opening or openings 56 aligned with the corresponding opening 70 i 26 and 32.

will be illuminated. I so construct the openings 56 that in response to the illumination of a bulb, one of the characters adapted to be displayed will be visible through window 22 on the translucent plate 46. For example, considering the uppermost opening 56 in plate 50, if the associated bulb is illuminated, light will be supplied to the rear edges of light conducting plates 24 and 25. This light will he internally reflected and will illuminate the elements 0 and 1 which are viewed through the translucent plate 46, thus showing the arabic numeral 1. I so arrange the openings 56 in the row next to the top of the plate 50 as to permit the passage of light to plates 28, 36, 30,

This light is piped through the plates to illuminate elements a, b, d, f and g to represent the arabic character 2. The remaining openings 56 in the plate 5%} are supplied with light in accordance with the table below to represent the various characters.

TABLE A Bulb 8; Numeral Illuminated (top to bottom) Elements Display 2 a h d f g 3i 8 a b d e g 5 a cde g E] 6 a cdefg 7 ab e 8 abcdefg 9 abcde g [E 0 abc efg The operation of my character display device will readily be apparent from the foregoing description. When I desire to display a particular character, I merely energize the bulb 74 corresponding to the character to be displayed. For example, in the particular form of my device shown in the drawings, if I desire to display the arabic 0 I energize the lowermost bulb 74, light from which is directed through a passage 66 in battle 60 to the lowermost row of openings 56 in plate 59. The light passes through the openings selectively to illuminate the elements 38 making up the character 0. As can be seen by reference to the table hereinabove, the elements a, b, c, e, f and g Will be illuminated. When I desire to display the character 4, I energize the bulb '74 fourth from the top as viewed in FIGURE 6 to illuminate elements b, c, d and e. The other characters can be displayed in a similar manner.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a character display device for selectively displaying a plurality of characters. My device is so constructed as to display the characters on a single plane which can be viewed from a relatively small angle to the plane of the image. My device is simple in construction and operation for the result achieved thereby. It is inexpensive and rugged.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A character display device for selectively displaying characters each of which is adapted to be made up by components, at least some of said characters having common components including in combination a plurality of illuminable elements corresponding respectively to said character components, means mounting said illuminable elements in spaced relationship to form the most complex of said characters, a plurality of selectively energizable sources of light, said sources corresponding respectively to the characters to be displayed, and means for directing light from one of said sources to a plurality of elements making up the character to which said one source corresponds.

2. A character display device for selectively displaying characters of a set of characters each of which is adapted to be made up of components, said set having a complex character including all of the components of all other characters of said set, including in combination a plurality of illuminable elements corresponding respectively to said character components, means mounting said illuminable elements in spaced relationship to. form said most complex character, a plurality of selectively energizable sources of light, said sources corresponding respectively to the characters in said set and means for directing light from one of said sources to a plurality of elements making up the character to which said one source corresponds.

3. A character display device for selectively displaying arabic numerals, including in combination, a plurality of illuminable elements each corresponding to a portion of at least one of said numerals, means mounting said elements in spaced relationship to form the arabic numeral eight, a plurality of selectively energizable sources of light, said sources corresponding respectively to numerals to be displayed, and means for directing light from one of said sources to a plurality of elements making up the numeral to which the source corresponds.

4. A device for selectively displaying representations of arable numerals including in combination a plurality of light conductors one end of which forms an illuminable element corresponding to a portion of at least one of said numerals, means for assembling said conductors with said elements in spaced relationship to cause said elements to form the arabic numeral eight, a plurality of light sources corresponding respectively to said numerals and means for directing light from one of said sources into the other ends of a plurality of said conductors, the one ends of which conductors make up the character to which the one source corresponds.

5. A device for selectively displaying characters each of which is adapted to be made up of components, at least some of said characters having common components, including in combination a plurality of light transmitting plates, each of said plates having a shape such that one edge thereof forms an illuminable element corresponding to a character component, each of said plates having another elongated edge, means for assembling said plates to position said elements in spaced relationship to form the most complex of said characters and to position said elongated edges in side-by-side relationship, a mask disposed over said elongated edges, said mask having spaced rows of apertures, each row corresponding to a respective character, the apertures of each row exposing the elongated edges of those plates having the character to which the row corresponds, a plurality of selectively energizable light sources corresponding to said rows and means for selectively energizing said sources concomitantly to illuminate a plurality of said elements making up a character upon the illumination of one of said rows of apertures.

6. A device for selectively displaying arabic numerals each of which is adapted to be made up of components with at least some of said numerals having common components including in combination a plurality of light transmitting plates, each of said plates shaped to form an illuminable element corresponding to a character component at one edge thereof, each of said plates having another elongated edge, means for assembling said plates to position said elements in spaced relationship to form the arabic numeral eight and to position said elongated edges in side-by-side reatlionship, a mask disposed over said elongated edges, said mask having spaced rows of apertures, each row corresponding to a respective numeral, the apertures of each row exposing the elongated edges of those plates having the numeral to which the row corresponds, a plurality of selectively energizable light sources corresponding to said rows and means for selectively energizing said sources concomitantly to illuminate a plurality of elements making up one of said numerals upon the illumination of one of said rows of apertures;

7. A device for displaying characters each of which is adapted to be made up of components, at least some of 3 said characters having common components including in combination a plurality of light transmitting plates, each of said plates having a shape such that one edge thereof forms an illuminable element corresponding to a character component, each of said plates having another elongated edge, means for assembling said plates to position said elements in spaced relationship to form the most complex of said characters and to position said elongated edges in side-by-side relationship, opaque material disposed over said elongated edges forming spaced vertically aligned rows of apertures, the apertures of each row exposing the elongated edges of those plates the elements of which make up one of said characters, said rows corresponding respectively to said characters, first and second groups of vertically aligned sources of light, the sources of one group being laterally displaced from those of the other group in staggered relation thereto and a light guide comprising passages leading from said sources to said rows of apertures disposed between said sources and said light transmitting plates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,618,697 11/1952 Metcalf 340-336 2,751,584 6/1956 Isborn 340-380 2,766,447 10/ 1956 Woodson 340-380 2,813,266 11/1957 Kay et a1 340380 2,881,976 4/1959 Greanias.

2,957,098 10/ 1960 Bernstein 340-336 X 2,998,597 8/1961 Edwards 340380 X 3,062,441 11/ 1962 Martin 340380 3,081,450 3/ 1963 Sinninger 340-336 3,174,144 3/ 1965 ONeill 340380 X NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner. W. GLEICI-IMAN, I. J. LEVIN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A CHARACTER DISPLAY DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY DISPLAYING CHARACTERS EACH OF WHCH IS ADAPTED TO BE MADE UP BY COMPONENTS, AT LEAST SOME OF SAID CHARACTERS HAVING COMMON COMPONENTS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A PLURALITY OF ILLUMINABLE ELEMENTS CORRESPONDING RESPECTIVELY TO SAID CHARACTER COMPONENTS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ILLUMINATE ELEMENTS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO FORM THE MOST COMPLEX OF SAID CHARACTERS, A PLURALITY OF SELECTIVELY ENERGIZABLE SOURCES OF LIGHT, SAID SOURCES, CORRESPONDING RESPECTIVELY TO THE CHARACTERS TO BE DISPLAYED, AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING LIGHT FROM ONE OF SAID SOURCES TO A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS MAKING UP THE CHARACTER TO WHICH SAID ONE SOURCE CORRESPONDS. 